Multitrack Recording on a Computer

After holding off for years, I've finally moved to multitrack recording on my computer.

I've always been one to prefer hardware for recording purposes. Having a mixer in front of me and an open-reel multi-track tape recorder at my side was the way I learned how to work in a studio. Years later, that equipment was replaced by an "all-in-one" digital workstation recorder. It still had a mixer and recorder, but it was all built-in as one unit. See my February 12, 2009 post on these recording items.

Now, I'm recording music using my computer and software designed to replace all of that hardware! While I have used my computer for years to work on forensic audio cases and to work on the final mix after recording on the digital workstation, I resisted doing multitrack work on the computer. Something about it just felt foreign to me because I always liked to put my hands on a mixer. With the recording program on the computer, everything is done on the keyboard or with a mouse. But to be fair, there are some mixers available that can be used in conjunction with computer software, but it just adds cost to something that can simply be done just with a computer. Luckily, the audio soundcard that I use for forensic audio work is of a high quality and works just fine for multitrack work as well.

I knew eventually, I would have to learn to record music via multitrack recording software, and so this weekend, through the encouragement of my daughter, I decided to do it. While I'm still a novice at it, I'm picking it up rather quickly because my years of working with recording hardware all applies to this method of recording as well. All the functions are the same as using actual hardware, but it does take a little time learning where everything is located. Wow, computer recording programs are very sophisticated! What would have taken up an entire control room with gear now resides in my desktop computer. That's a big plus!

The sound quality is top notch as well. I recall all the "tape hiss" I used to get from my old analog tape recorders and having to apply dbx noise reduction to control it. Not any more! Digital is so quiet that any noise you hear today is probably noise recorded through the microphone of the ambient room noise!

I had always hoped that one day I could work with 24 tracks but I never thought I'd be doing it on a computer. I had owned 4 track and 8 track equipment since I was a teenager and always wished for more tracks. Now I have more than 24 tracks at my disposal on the computer. This program has unlimited tracks, not just 24. Cool!

I'll keep you all informed when I finally have something recorded that's worth listening to!